Carton for packing fruits, vegetables or the like



Feb. 24, 1959 w. F. HALE CARTON FOR PACKING FRUITS, VEGETABLES OR THE LIKE Filed Aug. 22, 1955 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 W. F. HALE Feb. 24, 1959 CARTON FOR PACKING FRUITS, VEGETABLES OR THE LIKE Filed Aug. 22, 1955 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR.

I 2,374,889 Patented Feb. 24, 1959 sa ARI N FOR PACKING FRUITS, VEGETABLE c o OR THE LIKE llliamEHale SanLorem Calif ullgnortoP Corporation, Oakhnd, Califl, {corporation California Application August 22, 1955, still] No. 529,634 2 Claims. (Cl. 229-23 This application relates toa cardboard carton, and more particularly relates to a carton for packing and displaying fruit, vegetables or other like merchantable articles.

It is the principal object of this invention to prov de a novel carton for packing fruit, vegetables and like articles, wherein the top and sides of the box are made from a single blank and the bottom from another blank, and wherein the two members, when folded and assembled, lock together to complete the carton and properly maintain the articles packed therein. a

A further object of the present invention is to provide a carton such as set forth in the previous object wherein the bottom member is spaced upwardly from the lower edge of the sides of the top member and is supported by upturned members formed integrally with the side members of the top member and interlocked therewith to insure prevention of displacement of the bottom member. A still further object is to provide a carton having a top member provided with a cut-out portion or portions covered with transparent material wherein the articles 7 to be packed are first inserted into said top member in a manner to present a pleasing display when viewed through said cut-out portion or portions, and then a bottom is inserted to retainthe articles in said manner.

The preferred embodiment of the invention is described in the following detailed specification, and illustrated by way of example in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the carton with the parts shown in exploded relation.

Fig. 2 is a sectional view taken generally on line 22 of Fig. 1 with the two parts shown in their assembled relation.

Fig. 3 is a plan view of the blank for forming the top of the carton.

, Fig. 4 is a plan view of the blank for forming the bottom of the carton.

Referring now to the drawings, and more particularly to Figs. 1 and 3 thereof, the top member of the carton comprises a square top section 11 having a portion cut out; for example, along the cut-out line 12, and covered by a transparent sheet 13 to permit viewing of the fruit packed inthe carton. Joining each of the edges of the top section 11 along the fold lines 14, 15, 16 and 17 are four side sections18, 19, 20 and 21, respectively, 7

adapted to be folded at right angles to the top section 11 to form the sides of the carton.

The side section 19 is provided with two end flaps 22 and 23, respectively, one joined to either end thereof along fold lines 24 and 25. The end flaps 22 and 23 are provided with die-cut tab sections 26 and 27 offset from the fold lines 24 and adjacent the mid-portions thereof, whereby when the end flaps 22 and 23 are folded at right angles to the side section 19, slots are provided to receive tabs 28 and 29 extending outwardly from the side sections 18 and 20, respectively.

Similarly, the side section 21 is provided with two end flaps 30 and 31 joined thereto along the fold lines 32 and 33 and provided with diecut tabs 34 and 35 to provide slots to receive tabs 36 and 37 on the side sections 18 and 20, respectively. The end flaps 30 and 31 are pro- .vided with extensions 38 and 39 adapted to overlie and be glued to the end flaps 22 and 23, respectively, to maintain the top member 10 in its assembled relation in the manner shown in Fig. 1.

The sidesections 18 and 20 are provided with extensions 40 and 41 joined thereto along fold lines 42 and 43. The extension 40 is provided with two spaced pro jecting tabs 44 and 45 and the extension 41 is provided with two spaced projecting tabs 46 and 47 adapted to be received in slots provided in the bottom section in a manner described hereinbelow.

It is obvious that the cut-out line 12 need not be diecut along its complete circumference but may be only partially die'cut and the rest perforated, thus leaving the section contained therewithin in place to be ultimately removed only when it is desired to display the fruit packed therein. t

It can readily be seen that if the side sections 18 and 20 and the extensions 40 and 41 attached thereto are folded inwardly against the undersurfaee of the top section 11, and the joined end flaps 22 and 30 and end flaps 23 and 31 are folded inwardly along fold lines 48 and 49, respectively, the whole carton top member 10 may be folded along the center fold line 50 for shipment in a flat condition.

Referring now to Figs. 1 and 4, the bottom member, generally indicated at 51, is made of a relatively heavy cardboard capable of supporting the articles packed in the carton and comprises a square central bottom section 52 having four side sections 53, 54, 55 and 56 fixed thereto along fold lines 57, 58, 59 and 60, respectively.

The side sections 53 and 55 are each provided with two die-cut tabs as shown at 61, 62, 63 and 64, ofiset from the fold lines 57 and 59, whereby when the side sections 53 and 55 are folded at right angles to the bottom section 52, slots are provided to receive the tabs 44, 45, 46 and 47, previously described, in the manner illustrated in Fig. 2. Similarly, the side sections 54 and 56 are provided with die-cut foot pieces 66 and 67 whereby, when the side sections 54 and 56 are folded upwardly, the foot pieces 66 and 67 will extend downwardly to support the bottom member 52, and the slots left thereby will provide ventilation for "the carton. As is evident from Fig. 2, the overall height of the bottom section 54 and the foot member 66 formed integrally therewith is substantially equal to the height of the top member side section 19, and the height of the foot member 66 is substantially equal to the height of the top member side section extensions 40 and 41.

In the use of the carton, the top member 10 is assembled as shown in Fig. 1 and inverted. The fruit to be packed is then placed therein through the open bottom in a manner to prevent a pleasing display when viewed through the transparent section of the top member 10. The bottom member 52 is then inserted into the top member 10 until the ends of the side pieces 54 and 56 are against the underside of the top section 11. With the bottom member 52 thus prevented from moving towards the top section 11 because of the engagement of the ends of the side pieces 54 and 56 with the top section 11, the extensions 40 and 41 are then folded inwardly around the fold lines 42 and 43. The tabs 44, 45, 46 and 47 will first come into engagement with the bottom member 52 during such folding ofthe extensions 40. and 41. Further folding of the extension then causes the tabs to deflect the bottom member 52 slightly so that the tabs 44, 45, 46 and 47 will enter the slots provided by the tabs 61, 62, 63 and 64 of the bottom member 52. When the tabs have so entered the slots, the bottom member 52 will return to its undeflected position as shown in Fig. 2 and the tabs'will engage the inner side of these slots to lock the bottom member 52 into assembled position. As may be appreciated from Fig. 2, the tabs 44, 45, 46 and 47 are sutticiently short 'so that they may be forced into the registering slots by the folding operation of the extensions 40 and 41 without any folding or bending of the extensions or tabs except along the fold lines 42 and 43, and are sufficiently long sothat they will remain in the slots after the bottom member 52 returns to its undeflected position.

While I have shown and described the preferred form of my invention, it is to be understood that various changes may be made in its construction by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

l. A two-piece telescopic carton comprising a unitary top member having a top rectangular section and four side sections integral therewith extending downwardly therefrom, two of said side sections opposed to each other having downwardly extending extensions joined to their lower ends by a scored folding line, a downwardly projecting tab on each of said extensions, a unitary bottom member having a rectangular bottom section slightly smaller than said rectangular top section and four upwardly bent sides integral therewith, each of said sides being joined to a side of said rectangular bottom section by a scored folding line, two of said bottom member sides opposed to each other each having a downwardly extending foot member formed integrally therewith, the height of a said foot member being approximately equal to the height of a said side section extension, and the overall height of a said bottom member side and its downwardly extending foot member being approximately equal to the height of a said top member side section whereby the upper edges of said two bottom member, sides are adapted to engage said top section in assembled relation, and slots in said bottom section adjacent opposite side edges thereof in register with and adapted to receive said tabs when said extensions are folded inwardly and upwardly beneath said bottom section.

2. A two-piece telescopic carton comprising a unitary top member having a top rectangular section and four side sections integral therewith extending downwardly therefrom, two of said side sections opposed to each other having downwardly extending extensions joined to their lower ends by a scored folding line, a downwardly projecting tab on each of said extensions, a unitary bottom member having a rectangular bottom section slightly smaller than said rectangular top section and four upwardly bent sides integral therewith, each of said sides being joined to a side of said rectangular bottom section by a scored folding line, two of said bottom member sides opposed to each other each having a downwardly extending foot member formed integrally therewith, the height of a said foot member being approximately equal to the height of a said side section extension, and the overall height of a said bottom member side and its downwardly extending foot member being approximately equal to the height of a said top member side section whereby the upper edges of said two bottom member sides are adapted to engage said top section in assembled relation, and slots in said bottom section adjacent opposite side edges thereof in register with and adapted to receive said tabs when said extensions are folded inwardly and upwardly beneath said bottom section, said tabs being sufficiently short to enter said slots as said extensions are folded about their fold lines without other folding of said extensions of said tabs, and sufliciently long to rest against the edges of said slot when said top and bottom members are in assembled relation.

References Cited in the file of'this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

